The fate of Hussein will be revealed in few minutes. While waiting for the results, his anxious father, Abou Mahmoud, was walking back and forth in the hospital’s waiting room.

Om Mahmoud was sitting on the bench, holding both the Quran and the prayer book, and praying for her boy to emerge uninjured standing on his feet. Their son, Hussein, was in the operation room undergoing his first surgery in an attempt to walk again.

Hussein Amer’s suffering began since his childhood when he was less than 5 years. First, the pain began in his feet, then it moved around and attacked every joint of his body. Two years later, he was diagnosed with rheumatism or rheumatic arthritis; a chronic and lifelong disease. With every passing day, the illness will destroy Hussein’s joints.

Because rheumatic arthritis increases in cold weather, his health condition worsens during winter.

Here Hussein’s pain journey began, from high fever and severe pain in his joints and feet.

Winter after winter, the boy went from bad to worse. At first, he was able to walk normally, then he started limping until he became paralyzed.

Hussein refused the idea of using a wheelchair, so his brother began to carry him on his shoulders to help him move around. On school days, the school guard was responsible for taking him to his class on the second floor.

On one of the first days of school, while Hussein was crossing the school’s playground carried on the school guard’s shoulders, younger students started laughing loudly at him, then they nodded growingly at him.

Hussein said: “That scene has etched on my mind”.

On that very morning, he was sad and broken as if an explosion demolished his corners, and asked himself:” Why me?”

At that moment, the young man lost a part of him as if he had written on his heart: the real loss is being a painting that people nod to speak silently about it with pity and misery.

This scene has left a deep wound in Hussein’s heart that will never be healed. This wound revives again each time this memory crosses his mind.

Hussein made his way to the class, and the first two classes passed.

Then … The bell rang and all the students prepared themselves to get rest in the playground, except Hussein. Unlike the people of his generation, Hussein is not able to come and go whenever he wants because going down the stairs will require him to commit efforts he can’t handle.

In their free time, his friend “Jad” used to stay with him in class, this cheered Hussein’s heart up. Jad never made Hussein feel that he wanted to leave him and play with the rest of his friends in the schoolyard.

Hussein never changed with days, he still decided not to use a wheelchair until he reached 14 years. Then, Hussein gave himself the choice either to wait for others’ help and to be carried on their shoulders or to use a wheelchair. The situation was not easy as in the past, Hussein now became older and heavier.

He made his decision and decided to start using a wheelchair, challenging the physical disability, and proving that he can fight no matter the cost.

Hussein doesn’t deny that using the wheelchair was hard at the beginning, then it became a part of him, and he considered it a way to socialize.

He kept reminding himself: “I am very engaged in society despite spending my life in a wheelchair. I have never given up!”

In the same year, Hussein underwent his first surgery, he thought it will be easy but it wasn’t. The surgery consisted of inserting fifteen mental rods into his foot, each rod pierces the foot bones on one side and sticks out on the other.

One day after the surgery, he woke up terrified due to a huge puddle of blood that covered the entire mattress. He was very surprised by the frightening scene in front of him. His family contacted the specialist who didn’t take responsibility for what happened. Without realization, Hussein was bleeding all night.

Because the surgery failed, Hussein stayed in his wheelchair until he graduated from University.

Impossible is uncommon to Hussein. The young man has never given up, and he has kept battling to achieve his goal. Before thinking of anything else, his target now is undergoing a series of surgeries.

What an unexpected coincidence! His left foot surgery was scheduled on the day he was waiting for too long, his graduation day! Hussein was an Information Technology (IT) student at Lebanese International University (LIU). While he was preparing all party supplies and buying his graduation clothes, his doctor called and told him that the surgery would be postponed for about 6 months if he didn’t do it on the scheduled day. After thinking for hours, Hussein decided to undergo the protease, which is a joint replacement surgery. The prom remained a wound in Hussein’s heart forever.

Although Hussein’s healing was going slowly, he could stand on his feet. However, five months after the surgery, his left foot inflamed so the boy was obliged to undergo again the same surgery.

He couldn’t stop thinking of walking again. Hussein stayed intent to realize the dream of his life, he was pretty sure of his inevitable victory, and unaware of all difficulties. Thus, for a whole year, he underwent many surgeries that caused him anxiety, panic, and pain. He was praying for a miracle that will help him to walk again.

Hussein said: “I fought with all my strength in this life, and I was ready for all types of challenges”.

When he started healing, Hussein’s bet was to regain standing on his feet and learn to walk again. This was not easy at all! For more than 20 years, Hussein was not able to walk. Now to reach his goal, he should learn to walk as if he is a child. Step by step, and with the help of a physiotherapist, Hussein practiced every movement starting from extending his foot, lifting and opening it.

Hussein went through harsh 20 years full of torments, treatments, and surgeries but he has never lost hope until his patient crowned by standing on his feet at the beginning of the year 2020. His life has completely changed! Hussein has won, and he proved that his capability of competing and achieving the impossible!

After being deprived of walking for several years, he was not able to express his happiness, and his heart was jumping for joy. He is completed now!

When Hussein was asked about the difference between his past and present, he answered: “For me, the only difference might be the time duration, nothing else has changes… I am the same optimistic, ambitious, and loving person…These feelings have never been related to a foot, a hand, or any part of the body.

Hussein’s first work experience was in a family friend’s clothes shop in his village, “Qana”. He was responsible for doing Photoshop since he was familiar with it, but his knowledge was not enough. Hussein holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology (IT) from LIU. Thanks to his love for learning, he mastered Photoshop techniques from YouTube. He started a new experience that taught him everything about digital marketing, and he worked also in accounting.

The young man had a great impact in doubling the store sales, this encouraged him to start his own business. After gaining and developing his skills for 1 years, he can provide e-marketing service to customers.

Hussein left his job in the clothes store and decided to take a risky new challenge that will be added to the health challenge he had been through for many years.

Confidently, he said: “My job challenge was starting a new business from nothing… I cannot accept my father opening an office for me nor buying me a car… Happiness occurs after fighting and getting what you worked hard for”.

Hussein Amer (26 years old), is working now from his office in Tyre city. He finally realized the e-marketing project he worked hard on it from home, and it is represented by a company that offers several services such as graphics, web, and photography.

The ambitious Hussein does not stop dreaming, after winning over his tragedy, he believes that the human will makes miracles. Therefore, he is strongly attached to his country, and he is not willing to leave it. He ended by saying: “While all young people are thinking about leaving our beloved country “Lebanon” which is losing its youthful wealth… We are staying here despite everyone… Lebanon is ours!” His words are over, but hope never!